Info

The company aims to sell its technology to large enterprises, such as government agencies and financial institutions. It is working with some potential customers now to tailor the software and hopes to have product commercially available within six months. "This will boost analyst productivity significantly," said Dauksavage. There are no immediate plans for products aimed at individuals or small businesses, but they could become part of the mix down the road as the technology evolves, said Buck. Lobby closing: By purchasing AT&T Corp., SBC Communications Inc. will be eliminating a major lobbying force that opposed it before legislators and regulators at the federal and state levels. Small competitive telecom companies that cannot afford to hire lobbyists often relied on AT&T's clout to push their interests. But losing that ally may not be a big deal, said Bill Capraro, chief of CIMCO Communications Inc., a competitive carrier based in Oakbrook Terrace. "When we had AT&T with us in issues against SBC, the problem was that lawmakers tended to view it as a fight between two giant companies," said Capraro, who serves on the board of a competitive industry trade group. "For the last year or so, the small companies have pushed our points without any help from big guys. We miss their lobbying dollars, but we want to speak for ourselves."